1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a wireless communication system, and more particularly to a method and system for providing a broadcast/multicast service to enable a plurality of mobile stations to receive traffic data having the same contents.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communication technology is constantly advancing to provide better communication services to users. More specifically, a next generation communication environment, e.g., an IMT-2000 (International Mobile Telecommunication-2000), has been upgraded to a new communication environment that provides users with audio and video data, and also with a variety of user-desired information in real time and synthetically. As a result of the increasing development of a variety of mobile communication systems, mobile stations (MSs), e.g., cellular and PCS (Personal Communication Service) phones, perform speech or voice communication between a caller and a called party, and also a text message transmission function between them. Further, the MSs wirelessly provide users with a high-speed packet data service and a broadcast/multicast service (hereinafter referred to as a broadcast service) for broadcasting moving images to the users.
Conventionally, mobile communication systems communicate with one MS using a unicast method to transmit packet data to users. However, a broadcast service transmits the same traffic to a plurality of MSs, and is established by simplex transmission of high-speed forward data without receiving reverse return information from the MSs. This type of broadcast service is similar to a typical television (TV) broadcast service.
In order to enable a CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system to provide users with such a broadcast service, many developers have conducted intensive research into an improved broadcast service method for enabling a typical network configuration to control communication between a broadcast server and an MS and easily adding new functions to an air interface and an RAN (Radio Access Network), such that a broadcast service controller is required to control communication between the broadcast server and the MS in addition to controlling the broadcast server.
However, service provider cannot provide users with all kinds of services using only one broadcast service controller because of increased system load. In fact, different broadcast service controllers for every service provider have been used. A plurality of broadcast service controllers may be differently used by such service enterprises, and may also be assigned to areas covered by one service enterprise. However, as a result, the MS cannot recognize other broadcast service controllers using the conventional broadcast service system. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved broadcast service system to recognize a changed broadcast service controller and perform necessary operations associated with the recognized broadcast service controller.